Letters to the Editor published Saturday, October 1, 2011

It's really strange how beliefs are passed through generations without a thought as to making a break in the simple trickle down affect.

The primary devotion to belief and missions exaggerated by personal thoughts and feelings that are devoid of critical thinking is the nonsense effect that is legitimized purely by behaviorism, a private subjective consciousness that historically treats human life as a supernatural design complete with a powerful satanic force pulling the weak into hell. This infinite "God," dealing with a finite world, spawns the lunatic literalism of conservative falsities almost impossible to defang. Equal rights for information against religions is viewed as hate mongering when actually it is a legitimate call for sanity. No politician alive can be elected without swearing allegiance to Christianity in America even if it's the most far-fetched version, and equal rights for opposing views toward religions is unheard of.

Just as capitalism is based upon deception, religious are vertical thinking hierarchies, not horizontal connections. Christians help you if you swear allegiance, but if you don't you're a hopeless sinner.

The United States is currently being dragged by the neck through a religious war, stripping money and sanity away from its devotions toward freedom and the pursuit of happiness; it's no wonder people are thin-skinned when groups intent upon destroying schools with their own version of history seek to bless those places.

I believe there are other dimensions to life; string theory is proving this to be possible, but not like any biblical omnipotence, merely non-physical, and not easily explained, and purely observatory, kind of like watching T.V. in an electrical void, no hierarchy, no hell, and nothing to sell.

G.G. Thompson

Brookings

A big 'hoorah' for all at 9/11 event

Editor:

The Brookings-Harbor Redshirts would like to thank everyone for their hard work, support and donations for our 9/11 Concert and Candle Light Vigil.

Without the generosity of The Presbyterian Church, Fred Meyer, Mattie's, The Spence Brothers Band, State Rep. Wayne Krieger, Grocery Outlet, the Curry Coastal Pilot, Ray's and all the other contributors, our 9/11 would not have been such a great success.

Our First Responders Ceremony was awesome. We were thankful to the many first responders who came. They should be very proud of themselves as they received a big standing ovation. If it were possible to thank everyone by name we would have done that, but the Pilot does not have enough room in their editorial.

A big "hoorah" for all of the 300-plus people who come to share their day with us to honor the lives lost on 9/11 and our present and past military. The Redshirts would love to see more young people in our community take more of an interest and participate in our local patriotic organizations. There is only one "United States of America, Land of the Free."

Sharon Hitzman,

president, Brookings-Harbor Redshirts

"Until They All Come Home"

Advance Directive workshop coming

Editor:

This is a special reminder about the Advanced Directives workshop that is coming up at 2 p.m. Oct. 10, at the regular Caregiver Support Group meeting, at Seaview Senior Community, 98059 Gerlach Lane, in Harbor.

This document is important for all adults. Coastal Home Health and Hospice, 800- 535-9472, is pre-registering each person. Because of the seating, refreshments and printing of the Planning Guide, you are asked to pre-register by Oct. 3. I'm even pre-registering my husband.

This extremely important workshop will explain Advance Directives and answer our questions on that subject and the document that will be given out at the meeting.

The workshop will help people think through their choices of future needs with a KEYConversations Planning Guide. This guide will provide real-life scenarios, medical definitions and discussion questions so we can understand end-of-life treatment options and have an in-depth conversation with loved ones.

The guide also contains Oregon's legal form, the Advanced Directive, which allows people to legally express their wishes if they are unable to speak for themselves.

This is something that will make life much easier for you and your loved ones in the future. Please, do not put this off.

It started charging me $5 each month to print my monthly statement because I have no computer!

They suggested I visit their lobby and log on, whatever that means. What senior citizen pines to start fingering a filthy "public" computer keyboard which has more germs than a toilet seat at one of our local gas stations?

When I opened my account I sheepishly admitted I have no computer and didn't see one in the future. However, to acquire my meager account, they religiously faxed my monthly statement to my 23-year-old thermal paper fax machine.

New Rule, Curryites ... I can only have knowledge of my monthly share balance when I pay a little less than the federal minimum hourly wage (which I'm sure they use as a guideline to pay those dedicated employees who want me to stop bugging them for previously promised free monthly statements from this local financial giant.)

If there are only 200 of us dinosaurs with no Facebook capabilities, they can rip off an extra $1,000 monthly in excess service charges and still pitch integrity and blatherskite.

When I close my account they'll have to fork over a free statement according to Federal guidelines.

Seniors unite! Down with Facebook,YouTube, tweeters, etc. Cash out now what's left of your meager savings and stash it under your Tempur-Pedics.

Gary Smith

Pistol River

Good deed a bright light in my world

Editor:

I would like to thank the person who found my purse in a basket at the 99 cents store and brought it to the police department.

Your thoughtfulness and honesty were a bright light in my world. Your act of kindness took what could have been a terrible day and made it into a day to celebrate a selfless act of a stranger.

Bless you and thank you.

Karen Vogl

Brookings

Still confronting slavery in America

Editor:

I've got a quiz for you. True or False: Which of the following phrases are found in the U.S. Constitution?:

A. "Of the people, by the people, for the people."

B. "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

C. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."

September 17 was Constitution and Citizenship Day (http://bit.ly/evhx20,) a day when federal law (http://bit.ly/r3Blzg) dictates that all schools that receive federal funds must hold an educational program for their students about the U.S. Constitution. Because it fell on a Saturday, this instruction was to take place during the week before or after the 17th.

This is a chance to take back the Constitution from the previous teachings of the John Birch Society andndash; that Democracy is bad andndash; and from the TEA Party's anti-historical teachings (http://bit.ly/ov2sKp.)

It's not too late to ask your child what they learned in school about the Constitution.

In response to Ryan Ross, (Pilot, August 31, A past we would do well to remember) regarding displaying the Confederate War flag with the U.S. flag - the act honors a group of people who were willing to kill and die for the right to enslave other people.

I encourage you to revisit your decision. Displaying the Confederate War Flag is a painful reminder of racial hatred and a reminder that there are still people who believe owning human beings is okay. A visit to some tomato fields in Florida (http://amzn.to/qheBdR) confirms that the slave trade is still being practiced.

It's sad that it's been 146 years since the end of the Civil War and we're still having to confront slavery in America.

A well-known atheist, firm in his convections, was interviewed recently on television.

He was dedicated in his desire to remove religious symbols, writings, and statues from public property. I have to ask, unless he is a vampire, why would he be afraid of a cross? Maybe the Ten Commandments interfere with his life style.

Statistics suggest one in six people are below the poverty level, I believe I could prove it if anyone were interested. Thank your creator we have the food bank, the mission, and the churches. Well, some of the churches.

We still do not have affordable housing and we are short on living-wage jobs.

We have empty buildings, businesses failing, and many for sale.

The city wants to give downtown a face-lift on the backs of business owners; why not enforce the building codes and go after landlords? Oops! I may have hit a nerve. I'd tell you to rent the house you can't afford and get an apartment, but now you can't afford that either. I hope you can pay for your medicine and buy food.

Remember when you wanted Railroad Street to be a one-way thoroughfare? Can you imagine trying to get in and out of our new box store? When are we going to upgrade Railroad Street?

Last question, why do we lay off the treasurer and keep the spenders?

Buy beans, not bonds.

Clifton Siemens

Brookings

The Feds can't even run a cathouse

Editor:

My concern is the Feds, taking over CFCU, the Brookings-based Credit Union.

My concern is, a few years ago, the feds took over the "Ranch," a friendly "cathouse" in or near Los Vegas, Nev. By law they had to run the place, to try to make the money for back taxes. Well, as we all know, after six months they couldn't show any profits at all, so they closed the place down.

If an organization of a bunch of Feds can't make money selling booze and broads in Los Vegas, who the Hell do they think they are, trying to run a bank?

Al Pearson,

CFCU member

Brookings

Attitude about RV owner concerns me

Editor:

Concerning the letter about the RV parked along 101 (Pilot, Sept. 28): I've been told that it is legal to park along the highway for 14 days, so law enforcement is doing their job.

But the letter writer's attitude is what concerns me. It appears he lacks compassion, charity and is just plain mean-spirited. Doesn't he realize that the recession we are experiencing has put many people in desperate straits.

Many, including myself, are homeless, living in our RVs and getting by as best we can. I am fortunate; I have money coming in, but I had to rent out my home. I've met many who have almost nothing. We should be trying to help them, not cause more problems.

He said we need to organize a vigilante gang to remove this eyesore. While I rarely wish anyone ill, I hope and pray that the letter writer will soon find himself in desperate straits. Maybe he'll learn compassion.